±11 A. D. 364^ 



fklmmed over the roughefl feas in. boats made of leather, and by the 

 fuddennefs of their plundering incurfions, now invaded the Roman pro- 

 vinces in Britain, (wherein their grandfons were to obtain fuch ample 

 poffeflions) in conjundion with the Pichts, the Scots, and the Attacots, 

 a warlike nation, who now for the fi.rfl time ftart into hifloric notice. 

 [Anim. Mar cell L. xxvi,] 



3^5~3^^ — The provincials of Britain, accuflcmed to look for pro- 

 tedion from their Roman fovereigns, and not daring, perhaps not being 

 permitted, to take arms in their own defence, were ruined by the con- 

 tinual irruptions of thefe tremendous enemies, and by the gangs of fol- 

 diers, cheated of their pay by their officers, who infefted the highways 

 as robbers, and extorted provifions from the natives. The count of the 

 fea coaft, an officer appointed to repell the piracies of the Saxons, was 

 flain in battle ; and the duke of Britain, to whom the defence of the 

 northern frontier was committed, was outgeneraled by the military 

 pohcy of the barbarians. The fucceeding Roman commanders appear 

 to have had no better fuccefs, till Theodofius was fent with a powerful- 

 reinforcement. 



367 — That general, when he landed at Rhutupise, found that the 

 Pichts, the Attacots, and the Scots, were roving at large through the 

 whole country, and that fome parties of them, almoft clofe upon him, 

 were driving before them the captive people with their cattle and other 

 property. But the undifciplined valour of the invaders was unable to 

 contend with the military fcience of the Roman general and the tried 

 courage of his numerous veteran troops. Theodofius, having recovered 

 all the plunder, made a triumphal entry into Lundonium (now called 

 Augufta, and a colony, as all towns of that name were *), which was 

 faved from ruin or pillage by his feafonable arrival. \_Amm. Mar cell. L- 

 xxvii. — Liban. Oral, parent, c. 39.] 



369 — Theodofius, having reformed the abufes in the army, and re- 

 ftored the cities and frontier ports in Britain, reconquered all the coun- 

 try occupied by the northern nations as far as the wall between the 

 Forth and the Clyde, which he erected into a fifth province, bounded 

 by the north and fouth walls, and gave it the name of Valentia iiv 

 honour of the reigning emperors. [Amm. Marcell. L. xxvii.] 



383 — The mofi of the Roman forces, and a very great part of the 

 Britifh youth, being carried over to the continent by Maxim us to fup- 

 port his pretenfions to the empire, the defencelefs provinces were every 



f Stillingflcet [_Orig. Brilan. p. 196] fuppofes * of the provinces.' Perhaps a better arfjument 



that Augufta was the capital of all Roman Britain, for its fupremacy may be derived from tlie trcafiirc 



and he quotes the opinion of Vtlfcrus, [Ar. Vin- of the province bting ilcpofited in it, as we Icarn 



/irl. L. vj that all towns dignified with that appcl- from tiic Nolilui imperii, 

 l.«tion * were capita gentium, the chief mctropolcs 



